Building block and wall structure



A ril 18, 1939. LE ROY F. KEMP BUILDING BLOCK AND WALL STRUCTURE Filed March 30, 1937 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 ,II r// INVENTOR? April 18, 1939- LE ROY F. KEMP BUILDING BLOCK AND WALL STRUCTURE Filed March 30, 1957 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 I n/ INVENTOR.

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ORNEY F JO April 18, 1939.v

LE ROY F. KEMP BUILJDING BLOCK AND WALL STRUCTURE 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed March 30, 1937 ORNEY.

Patented Apr. 18, 1939 UNITED STATES FATENT OFFliTiE one-half to Charles Mich.

R. Emery, Dearborn,

Application March 30, 1937, Serial No. 133,873

6 Claims.

My invention relates to improvements in a building block and wall structure for use in building structures and the objects of my improvements are, first, to provide a wall structure with an air space extending continuously therethrough between its outer and. inner sides; sec nd, to provide a wall structure with building blocks arranged in courses or layers in a manner to eliminate conduction of cold or heat from the outside or inside of the building blocks of the courses or layers of the wall structure; third, to provide a wall structure of building blocks shaped to permit the laying of the building blocks with their centers of gravity located well inside of the wall structure; fourth, to provide building blocks of such shape that, when laid one upon another with staggered joints, they will provide a maximum number of adjacent surfaces for tie areas; fifth, to provide a wall structure having courses or layers of building blocks with a zig zag air space extending through the central portion of each course or layer; sixth, to provide a wall structure having courses or layers of hollow building blocks forming zig zag air spaces exi tending continuously through each course and connecting with similar zig zag air spaces and the hollow portions of building blocks in adjacent courses or layers; seventh, to provide a wall structure having building blocks tied together in areas entirely surrounded in horizontal planes by air or insulation spaces; eighth, to provide a wall structure with maximum insulating characteristics; ninth, to provide a wall structure for a building that will prevent the formation of moisture on the inside surface of the wall of the building; tenth, to provide a wall structure com prising building blocks for a building structure that will permit the application of stucco or similar material directly on the outside surface of the building blocks and the application of plaster or similar material directly on the inside surface of the building blocks; eleventh, to provide a wall structure that can be constructed in various widths with a minimum number of different 45 shapes of building blocks; twelfth, to provide a building block having a wall portion constructed with an increasing cross sectional area throughout its length to provide an increased support area at one end of the wall structure formed by a plurality of building blocks; thirteenth, to provide a building block with an increased support area for supporting a brick veneer structure, joist members or similar structures; fourteenth, to provide a building block with means for positioning window or similar structures therein;

fifteenth, to provide corner building blocks for facilitating joining of a relatively narrow width of wall structure with a wall structure of relatively greater width; sixteenth, to provide a building block adapted for forming, with an adjacent building block, an air space therebetween with means for decreasing the width of the air space at an end thereof to decrease the amount of bonding material necessary for filling said end of said air space; and seventeenth, to provide building blocks adapted for forming a pilaster structure in a wall structure having a zig zag air space extending therethrough.

I attain these objects by the mechanism illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a partial side View of a wail structure incorporating a plurality of the building blocks; Fig. 2, a plan view of the wall structure disclosing the staggered formation of the building blocks; Fig. 3, a plan view of a wall structure incorporating a plurality of building blocks of different size and shape; Fig. 4, an end view of a double or opposed angle or stretcher block of isosceles shape; Fig. 5, a plan view of a corner block; Fig. 6, a plan View of a single angle or half stretcher block; Fig. 7, a sectional view of the block disclosed in Fig. 4 and taken on the line (-1, Fig. 4; Fig. 8, an end view of a single angle of half stretcher block provided with a notch for a window together with a filler boss or strip; Fig. 9, a partial plan view of a wall structure disclosing the method of increasing the width of the wall by increasing the width of the air space therein together with the tie areas of the two Widths of walls; Fig. 10, a sectional view of the wall structure disclosed in Fig. 1 and taken on the line lil!9, Fig. i; Fig. 11, a partial plan View of 'a wall structure adapted for fitting with a window casing structure; Fig. 12, a plan view of a pair of double or opposed angle blocks of different length and angles; Fig. 13, a partial sectional view of a wall structure utilizing my building blocks in a building and disclosing substantially a twelve inch thickness of wall supporting substantially an eight inch wall together with a brick veneer structure; and Fig. 14, a partial horizontal sectional view of a wall structure together with a pilaster structure constructed with building blocks of my invention.

Similar numerals refer to similar parts throughout the several views.

My invention comprises a wall structure constructed by layers of building blocks of various formations and shapes laid in courses or layers one upon the other, and tied together by bonding material such as mortar, cement, or similar material, the building blocks being constructed of concrete, stone, or similar material or compositions.

My invention comprises a wall structure that can be readily constructed with three main shapes or formations of building blocks although it is to be understood that they may be increased in number and varied in shape and size and modified to accommodate and accomplish any desired formation of building blocks and wall structures without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention.

Figs. 4, 5 and 6 disclose end views of the three main building blocks which are principally used in the wall construction and which are adaptable to formation in various sizes with consequent modification of the lengths, breadths, and angles thereof. In Fig. 4, the bottom View of a double angle or stretcher block I is shown and which is of isosceles shape and is provided with a pair of oppositely disposed and inclined or angular sides or surfaces 2 and 3 which join to form the apex 4 located substantially at the transverse center of the block I although the position of the apex 4 may be located off of the transverse center and nearer either of the ends of the block I when desired to accommodate special wall structures and formations. The block I is of hollow construction and provided with a cored passage or opening 5 therethrough to provide a triangular air space which is indicated partially by full lines and the dotted lines 6, Fig. 7, a standard block being provided with an opening 5 of equal cross section throughout to provide substantially equal thicknesses, cross sectional areas or widths of wall sections between the opening 5 and the surfaces 2 and 3 and also of the base or outer side I.

The opening 5 may be constructed as shown by the combined full lines in Figs. 4 and 7 in a desired number of blocks I for particular points in wall structures. and also to provide a construction at the apex portion of the opening 5 which is increased or filled in, as by the portion 8, to provide an increased end surface or support area 9 to facilitate engagement with and support of a joist or similar member ID, as utilized in the interior of building structures for supporting floor, ceiling or similar portions of the building structure, a joist member I being partially disclosed in Fig. '7, the inner surface IA of the base or outer side I in the opening thus being inclined downwardly and outwardly to provide the increased end surface 9 with a minimum amount of material in the building block I and in a manner to facilitate its construction by avoidance of abrupt, shouldered or irregular shaped portions.

It is also to be noted that the increased end surface 9 will be advantageous in facilitating the support of brick walls forming the veneer structure on the outside 'of building wall structures, the maximum width of the opening 6 thus being decreased at a point opposite to the apex portion to permit support of the joist members, such as II], or of bricks and thus providing a more stable support therefor than would be the case if said joist members II] or bricks were supported only on the normal end surface of the base or outer side portion I.

In Fig. 6, the single angle, right angle or half stretcher block II is provided with an end shape which is substantially one half of that of the block I with an end wall I2 connecting its base or outer side I3 and its angular wall I4 which has a sole inclined surface I5, the base or outer side I3 forming a right angle with the end wall I2. The right angle block II is of hollow construction and is provided with a cored passage or opening I9 therethrough to provide a triangular shaped air space.

In Fig. 5, the corner block I1 is provided with the outer side wall I8 and outer end wall I9 together with the inner side wall 20 arranged to extend substantially at right angles to one another in a rectangular formation, the inner side wall 2!; and the outer side wall I8 being connected by an angular wall 2! having a sole inclined surface 22, the angular wall 2I connecting with a curved wall portion 23 connecting with one end of the inner side wall 20 to provide a shape or formation so that when a corner block I! and a right angle block II are placed adjacent one another, as in Fig. 3, they will form therebetween an air passage or channel 30.

The corner block I1 is provided with a cored passage or opening 25 to provide an air space therethrough.

The corner block I1 is adapted for use in the formation of corner wall structures of relatively less thickness than the corner wall structures formed, as in Fig. 2, with the double angle blocks l and right angle blocks II.

Figs. 1 and 2 disclose a wall structure formed with corner portions utilizing the double angle blocks I and right angle blocks II, Fig. 2 disclosing a plan view of one of the courses or layers of blocks to disclose their arrangement relative to one another, Fig. 2 further disclosing the uppermost course or layer A of blocks laid upon the next lower course or layer B of blocks and their relative and comparative arrangement, numerals being omitted in the lower courses or layers B and C of Fig. 2 to avoid confusion.

The course or layers of blocks A, B and C are disclosed in Figs. 1 and 2 as resting on and connected with a concrete or similar floor or foundation 25 and in a similar manner, the course or layer of blocks D are indicated, in Fig. 3, as resting on and connected with a concrete or similar foundation 26.

The double angle blocks I, right angle blocks I I and corner blocks I! will each be provided with suitable end or similar surfaces 21, which extend substantially at right angles to the outside surface of the base Wall portion I and are of substantially equal area with the cross sectional areas of the wall portion I and the oppositely disposed angular wall portions, said surfaces 21 forming adjacent sides of channels or spaces for receiving the bonding mortar or cement 28.

It is to be noted that my invention comprises courses or layers of building blocks laid one upon the other to form a wall structure provided with the zig zag air space or channel 30 extending continuously between the outer and inner side surfaces of the wall structure, this being disclosed in Figs. 2 and 3, the air space or channel 30 of one course or layer of blocks connecting with air spaces or channels 30 and openings or passages 5, I6 and 25 of the respective blocks of the adjacent upper and lower courses or layers.

It is also to be noted that my wall structure has the centers of gravity of each of the blocks located well inside of or sufficiently removed from the outermost and innermost sides of the wall structure to provide inherently a very substantial and rigid wall structure.

Also the arrangement of the blocks in the wall structures will eliminate direct and continuous wall portions between the outermost and innermost and oppositely disposed surfaces of a wall structure, thus eliminating any positive or direct conduction of heat or cold through said wall structure due to the conductor path always being broken or interrupted by an air space or channel or gap.

The layers of blocks being arranged in staggered formation relative to the inside and outside portions of the wall structure and to the adjacent courses or layers of blocks above or below one another will provide overlapping surfaces for further providing offsetting joints or tie portions or areas which with the horizontal channels or spaces 3i will provide a rigid and secure tying of the blocks together at their overlapping adjacent surfaces, said tie areas at the central portion of a wall structure being entirely surrounded by air or insulating spaces in horizontal planes.

Also the apex portions of the blocks I of the inside and outside portions of the wall structure overlap one another in adjacent courses or layers so that the openings 5- form air spaces or ducts which always connect with one another to form a plurality of continuous air spaces extending in up and down directions through the courses or layers which further connect with the air passages or channels 35 extending between adjacent inclined surfaces extending in vertical planes.

Thus the tying areas of the blocks in adjacent courses or layers in the central portions of the courses or layers will be entirely surrounded in horizontal with air spaces thus providing insulation characteristics and preventing injuries and deterioration from expansion and contraction forces or similar efiects.

Also the openings 5 and i6 which extend vertically through the blocks l and ii and connect with similar openings in. adjacent courses or layers, together with the passages or channels 3! form substantially three series of air spaces or ducts extending in up and down directions between the outer and inner portions of the wall structure in each course or layer of blocks and due to the above mentioned elimination of direct conduction characteristics thus provides insulating characteristics of high efficiency and which will effectively prevent conduction of cold from as outside to the inside of the wall structure as well as preventing the conduction of heat from the inside to the outside of the wall structure when incorporated in a building structure and the prevention of heat and cold conduction through the wall structure will prevent and eliminate condensation or moisture accumulations in the outside and inside vertical surfaces of the wall structure. Thus cold that might penetrate from the outside or any heat the inside of the wall structure would be effectively stopped at the respective and adjacent inclined surfaces 2 3 0f the blocks l at opposite sides of the air passages or ducts and such penetration of heat or cold even to t e respective and adjacent side sur faces of the air passages or ducts 38 will be further obstructed or prevented by the air spaces formed by the openings 5, it or 25 of the various blocks, thus insuring that the presence of any condensation will be located on surfaces where it will not affect the finishing materials, such as stucco and plaster, or similar materials which are applied to the outside and inside vertical surfaces of the wall structure of a building.

Also the staggered formation of the building blocks provide joints or surfaces, tied by the bonding mortar or cement 3i, which do not extend straight or continuously through the wall structure as is the case with wall structures formed of conventional building blocks, thus further eliminating excessive differences of temperature which exist on the inside and outside surfaces of wall structures constructed with conventional building blocks, the maximum difierences of temperatures resulting from the presence of heat within a building structure and absorbed by and on the inside of the wall structure and from the presence of cold and moist conditions outside of the building structure and absorbed by and on the outside of the'wall structure, said maximum differences of temperatures in my invention being materially reduced due to the absorption of the heat and cold or moist characteristics which terminate their conduction or travel adjacent an internal air passage or channel 39 extending continuously through and between oppositely disposed areas or surfaces of the wall structure.

Therefore it will be readily noted that the inside surface of the wall structure of a building, when constructed with my invention, will be sub stantially unaffected by expansion due to the cold characteristics of the outside portion of the wall structure in winter climates or due to reverse conditions in summer climates, thus permitting the plaster or similar finishing material to be applied directly to and retained on the inside surfaces of the builidng blocks of the wall structure without the necessity of furring or lathing or similar operations.

Also in a similar way, stucco or similar finishing materials may be applied directly to and retained on the outside surfaces of the wall structures of buildings-utilizing my invention.

My wall structure and building blocks therefor will permit the construction of walls of any desired thickness, either as outside walls of a building structure, as partition walls within a building structure, or as wall structures forming fire places or similar units, the openings or spaces and channels of the wall structure facilitating the assembly of electric cables and wiring as well as plumbing conduits therewithin and therethrough.

Also it is to be noted that my building blocks may be readily laid with the same tools and equipment now utilized in laying conventional building blocks and without the necessity of providing an application of tying members for the building blocks as required in wall structures formed with conventional building blocks.

Fig. 9 discloses the method of increasing the width of wall structures by moving oppositely disposed blocks 1 away from one another to provide an increased width of the air passage or channel 30 as well as increased width of wall structure, Fig. 9 disclosing a sole block i as having been laid upon the blocks l of a course or layer E of building blocks, said sole block being indicated by full lines together with said sole block in a position for increasing the width of the wall structure, as indicated by dotted lines 32. Also a block I of the course or layer E is indicated in a position for increasing the width of the wall structure, as by dotted lines 33.

It is to be noted that the maximum length of one of the tying areas between said sole block I and the adjacent block i of the course or layer E is indicated at 34, whereas said maximum length of the tying areas will be decreased, as indicated at 35, when the blocks are moved to the positions indicated by the dotted lines 32 and 33.

Also it is to be noted that each of the double angle blocks I, when laid in course or layers with offset or overlapping joints formed with adjacent end portions, will provide substantially twelve tie areas with upper and lower blocks in adjacent courses or layers.

Fig. 8 discloses an end view of a right angle block 36 provided with a notch or groove 31 Which is adapted for engaging and enclosing the side portions of a window structure 38 as disclosed in Fig. 11, two of the right angle blocks 36 being utilized to form a wall structure having the air passage or channel 39 therethrough, said wall structure being utilized to space the window structures 38 and 40, it being understood that Window, door or similar structures may be spaced and supported by my invention.

The blocks 36 are bonded by the mortar or cement 4| and by similar tying and bonding areas and materials between adjacent courses or layers.

Fig. 12 discloses a double angle block I together with a double angle block of shorter length as indicated by the dotted lines 42 together with a right angle block of relatively short length, as indicated by the dotted lines 43, to accommodate the length of the block indicated by dotted lines 42, Fig. 12 thus disclosing different lengths and angles of the air passages formed by the inclined surfaces of the blocks when constructed of different lengths,

It is to be noted that, as disclosed in Fig. 8, the right angle block 36 or any of the blocks H, I or I! may be provided with a boss or extension 45 adjacent a surface which forms one side of an air space which has to be closed by a bond, such as cement, mortar or similar material, the boss or extension 45 being disclosed at one end portion of the inclined surface I5 in Fig. 8.

The purpose of the boss or extension 45 is to partially close an end of an air space between adjacent blocks, especially where the blocks have been located to increase the normal widths of air spaces, and thus to require a lesser amount of bonding mortar or cement, as indicated at 28, thus economizing in bonding material as well as the time required to manually apply same, the boss or extension portion 45 indicating in Fig. 11, that the normal air space 45 has been reduced thereby to approximately one half its normal width, as at 41.

Fig. 13 discloses a partial sectional view of a wall structure in which substantially a twelve inch thick wall structure 48 has been constructed to a required heighth above the grade or ground line 49, said twelve inch thickness of wall being disclosed with a building block 50 incorporating a filled in portion 8 which is utilized for supporting a tier of bricks 5| which form a brick veneer of a building structure incorporating the wall structure 48.

It is to be noted that which conventional building blocks, a separate series of slab construction or blocks would be required to support the bricks 5! but in my invention, the bricks 5| are supported on the increased or filled in portion 8 of the building blocks of the upper course or layer of building blocks of the wall structure 48 enclosing the basement or foundation of the building structure and then a wall structure 52 of substantially eight inches in thickness may be constructed with my building blocks supported directly on the inside portions of the wall structure 48 adjacent the bricks 5| and separated therefrom with an air space or gap 54. Then when the wall structure 52 has been constructed with my building blocks of lesser thickness, as for instance eight inches, to a required heighth, joist members, such as indicated at 55, may be supported directly on the upper course or layer of building blocks in the wall structure adjacent the inner side of the bricks 5|.

Fig, 14 discloses a pilaster structure 63 used as an upright architectural structure for ornamental purposes and appearances and constructed with building blocks 56 which are each provided with rectangular portions 51 joined to triangular portions 58, the building blocks 56 being positioned with their wall portions 59 adjacent each other to form the air space or duct 60, the inclined surfaces 61 of the building blocks 56 being positioned in oppositely disposed and reversed formation adjacent the inclined surfaces 2 and 3 of a pair of building blocks I to form the air space or ducts 35 of the wall structure 62, the rectangular portions 5'! extending or projecting outwardly from the wall structure 62 to form the pilaster structure 63A.

The building blocks 56 are each provided with rectangular openings 63 and triangular openings 64 therethrough.

In operation, the building blocks l are placed in courses or layers in staggered formation or arrangement with the building blocks l in oppositely disposed positions in each course or layer and in overlapping or staggered relationship with adjacent blocks of adjacent courses or layers of the wall structure. The building blocks II are utilized at the end portions of the wall structure to complete the formation of the wall structure in the spaces formed by the projecting half portions of the building blocks I.

The corner blocks I1 are utilized for forming the end or abutting portions of relatively narrow thickness of wall structures.

The building blocks I when formed with the increased or filled in wall portions 8 are utilized for supporting joist or similar members as well as brick veneer portions of a building structure. Also the blocks 36 may be utilized adjacent and for forming enclosures for window structures, the notches 31 positioning and receiving portions of the window casing or structures.

In the wall structures of my invention, the building blocks thereof will form air channels, spaces or ducts extending longitudinally of the wall structure in a zig zag path or direction, said air chambers, spaces or ducts extending in a plurality of vertical and intersecting planes to connect with a plurality of triangular openings, formed in the building blocks, and eliminating direct and continuous conductor paths from the outside surfaces of the Wall structure of a building to the inside surfaces of the wall structure in the building or vice versa, thus preventing the joining or concentration of cold and heat on a sole surface and thus preventing condensation characteristics on the finishing surfaces of a wall structure on which stucco and plaster materials are attached, thus permitting stucco and plaster or similar material to be applied and adhere directly respectively to the outside and inside surfaces of a wall structure of a building.

I claim:

1. A hollow building block provided with a base wall portion together with oppositely disposed inclined wall portions connected with said base wall portion to provide a triangular shaped horizonal cross section for the hollow building block, said base and said oppositely disposed inclined wall portions each having substantially equal cross sectional areas, said oppositely disposed portions meeting said base portion at the outer ends of said base portion.

2. A hollow building block provided with a base wall portion together with oppositely disposed inclined wall portions connected with said base wall portion to provide a triangular shaped cross section perpendicular to said base wall portion for the hollow building block, said base and said oppositely disposed inclined wall portions each having substantially equal cross sectional areas, the connecting portions of said base and said oppositely disposed Wall portions being provided with oppositely disposed end surfaces each having an area substantially equal to said cross sectional areas of said base and said oppositely disposed wall portions.

3. A hollow building corner block provided with oppositely disposed and parallel side wall portions connected by an end wall portion extending substantially at right angles to said side wall portions, said side Wall portions being of different lengths, said hollow corner building block being further provided with an inclined wall portion connected to an end portion of the side wall portion having the greatest length, said inclined wall portion being connected to the side wall portion of lesser length by a curved wall portion.

4. A hollow building block provided with a base wall portion together with oppositely disposed inclined wall portions connected with said base wall portion to provide a triangular shaped cross section for the hollow building block, said base wall portion having an increasing cross sectional area extending between its end surfaces to provide one of said end surfaces with an increased area for supporting a joist member, brick veneer structure or similar portion of a building structure.

5. In a wall structure incorporating bonding mortar, hollow building blocks each beingprovided with an inclined surface having a boss extending thereacross at one of its ends to partially close an air space formed between a pair of said hollow building blocks positioned adjacent one another in said wall structure, said partial closing of said air space by said boss decreasing the amount of bonding mortar required between said pair of hollow building blocks.

6. In a building structure, a wall structure forming a wall portion of said building structure and having an outside wall surface exposed to weather conditions together with an inside wall surface exposed to temperature conditions within said building structure, said wall structure comprising building blocks laid in courses, said building blocks being arranged in oppositely disposed positions in each course along said outside and said inside wall surfaces and separated by an air space of substantially uniform width extending continuously through the courses of said wall structure to prevent cold developed by said weather conditions on the outside of said building structure or heat developed by said temperature conditions within said building structure from being conducted through said building blocks beyond said air space.

LE ROY F. KEMP. 

